Lerato Kganyago, the South African media personality and businesswoman, is trending primarily due to revelations at the ongoing Madlanga Commission of Inquiry into criminality, political interference, and corruption in South Africa’s criminal justice system. During live testimony on October 20, 2025, her luxury hotel, 12 on Hillel Villa and Spa in Northcliff, Johannesburg—which she co-owns and was famously gifted to her by her husband, businessman Thami Ndlala, as a Valentine’s Day present in 2022—was identified as an alleged meeting spot linked to high-profile figures in the probe.
Witnesses, including detectives, described networks involving rogue police officers, businessmen, and even discussions tied to assassinations, with the hotel referenced in connection to Gauteng Provincial Commissioner Tommy Mthombeni and others.Social media speculation has intensified around whether Kganyago herself is the “Lerato” mentioned in testimony as someone interviewed by police and asked to identify an individual linked to QTech, a company implicated in the 2023 murder of Transnet whistleblower Armand Swart.
This has fueled broader discussions about Ndlala’s potential ties to controversial figures like Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala (ex-partner of socialite Tebogo Thobejane, who has her own history with Kganyago via a past business fallout and public feud). Posts on X are rife with memes, accusations of criminal involvement, and calls for deeper journalistic scrutiny, amplifying the story amid the commission’s explosive hearings. Kganyago has not publicly commented on the matter as of now.
Hotel Allegations: Her luxury hotel, 12 on Hillel Villa and Spa in Northcliff, Johannesburg, was identified during live testimony on October 20, 2025, as an alleged meeting spot for high-profile figures involved in the probe.
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- The hotel was famously gifted to her by her husband, businessman Thami Ndlala, as a Valentine’s Day present in 2022.
- Witnesses described networks involving rogue police officers and businessmen, with the hotel referenced in connection to Gauteng Provincial Commissioner Tommy Mthombeni and discussions tied to assassinations.
Timeline of Lerato Kganyago’s Recent News Appearances (July–October 2025)
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July 23, 2025
Kganyago wins R62,200 on the celebrity edition of Deal or No Deal, becoming the biggest winner of the season; she donates the full amount to the Jumping Kids Prosthetic Fund. -
July 30, 2025
She publicly shares a terrifying stalking ordeal, revealing she’s been followed by a group of men who allegedly have ties to the police, vowing not to live in fear. -
July 30, 2025
The grand relaunch of Ndlala Mall (co-owned by Kganyago and her husband Thami Ndlala) is postponed to August 23 after headliner Tank cancels his performance. -
August 15, 2025
Kganyago provides an emotional update on her breast reduction surgery, stating she has “zero regrets” about the procedure and its positive impact on her life. -
October 8, 2025
She is announced as a key performer for the “Feel Good Sunday with Lerato Kganyago Reloaded” event scheduled for October 12 in Welkom. -
October 14, 2025
An emergency forces Kganyago to miss her travel and performance at the Welkom event, prompting an apology from organizers and a rescheduling. -
October 15, 2025
Unsubstantiated rumors emerge online claiming her husband Thami Ndlala is dating actress Buhle Samuels, including allegations of him buying her a house. -
October 20, 2025
Kganyago trends amid the Madlanga Commission hearings, where her co-owned luxury hotel (12 on Hillel) is named as a meeting spot in probes into police corruption and assassinations; fact-checks clarify no direct link to her July stalking incident or personal involvement.
